Abivax's ABX464 Shows Promise in Reducing HIV Viral Reservoirs in Phase 2a Trial

Key Insights

• French biotech Abivax reports significant breakthrough as their drug ABX464 achieves up to 52% reduction in HIV DNA levels during 28-day treatment in phase 2a trial.
• Extended 12-week study with lower dosage demonstrates HIV DNA reduction up to 85% in some patients, marking first evidence of ABX464's ability to impact both blood and rectal tissue viral reservoirs.
• The treatment shows potential for complete virus elimination and long-term viral load control, with favorable safety profile supporting extended dosing regimens.

French biotech company Abivax has announced promising results from their phase 2a trial of ABX464, potentially marking a significant advancement in HIV treatment. The study, conducted at Germans Trias i Pujol University Hospital Badalona in Barcelona, demonstrated the drug's ability to reduce HIV DNA in both blood and rectal tissue reservoirs.

Initial Trial Results Show Strong Efficacy

In the first cohort, nine patients received ABX464 at a dosage of 150mg/day for 28 days. Eight of these patients exhibited remarkable results, showing decreases in HIV DNA levels of up to 52% in blood samples between baseline and day 28 of treatment.

Extended Treatment Period Reveals Promising Outcomes

The second phase of the trial explored a lower dosage regime of 50mg/day over an extended three-month period. Among the eight patients who completed the full duration:

• Four patients demonstrated HIV DNA reduction ranging from 2% to 85%
• Four patients experienced viral load increases between 5% and 36%
• The treatment maintained a favorable safety profile throughout the extended dosing period

"These findings show, for the first time, that ABX464 has the ability to reduce HIV DNA in both blood and rectal tissue reservoirs," stated Jean-Marc Steens, Chief Medical Officer at Abivax. "The longer 12-week duration of treatment with ABX464 was safe and generally well tolerated and supports extended dosing."

Therapeutic Implications and Future Direction

The significance of these results lies in ABX464's potential to:

• Completely eliminate the virus
• Induce long-term control of viral load
• Prevent the emergence of HIV mutations

Hartmut Ehrlich, CEO of Abivax, expressed optimism about the findings: "It is gratifying to see the scientific rationale for ABX464 translate into these data, which support the Company's plans for Phase 2b studies, bringing us one step closer to advancing HIV therapy."

Advancing HIV Treatment Landscape

This development joins other recent advances in HIV treatment, including the European Commission's approval of Janssen's single-tablet regimen Symtuza and Sanofi's progress with an antibody treatment capable of neutralizing 99% of viral strains. ABX464's unique approach to targeting viral reservoirs could represent a significant step forward in HIV therapeutic strategies.